Code Geass R0
by mysteryman10000
Summary: My plans to help the world had failed. Everyone and everything I cared about was gone. But now I have been given a second chance and this time I wasn't going to fail. I would save Nunnally and everyone that I loved.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own code geass or anything that is related to it.

"talking"

'thinking'

**Chapter 1: A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes**

Darkness was all that I could see. Blood was the only taste on my lips. The scent of burning flesh filled my nostrils, and all I was able to hear were the distant screams of the others in this place. Worst of all was the feeling of the flames as they slow consumed me again.

I had lost track of how long he had been in this place. Sometimes it felt like centuries and others only a few minutes. What I was sure of was the only one constant in this place, and that was that everyday he would come.

At the beginning of everyday, just before the torture would start, he would come and make me an offer. "I will spare you from torture today, if you agree to begin the tortures of the others here." He would make this same offer to me everyday, and everyday I would tell him the same thing," go to hell." And everyday he would laugh at my choice of words before he began to torture me again.

I knew that when I died that I would be sent here, that I had earned my own place in here with all of the pain that I had caused. It seems strange now that I chose to come here, as penance for the crimes that I committed when I was alive, even stranger was knowing that this was where I would be sent, I still wanted to die. No matter how painful it is to be here the pain that I lived with everyday of my life was even more unbearable.

At least that was how I felt. But I had been here so long that I did not even remember what my crimes were. All I could remember were faces, no names to go with these faces, just feelings that each one invoked within me. The hatred I felt when I thought of the man with white hair and regal clothing and the women with brown hair and a purple dress, the sadness a felt for the girl with the orange long hair and the wide innocent eyes. But these emotions paled in comparison to the love I felt for the young girl with the violet eyes and the kind smile. Nunnally, her name was Nunnally, I could no longer remember my own name but hers I could not forget, and I can't even remember why.

Everyday I would be stabbed burned, melted, and ground into dust and then I would magically become whole again so that this endless cycle could continue. As I slowly regained consciousness again I became aware of the fact that he was once more standing in front of me and as usual was about to make the same offer again.

However, this time was different. Before he could speak a word to me his eyes widened. He looked at the emptiness around us as if he was searching for something. Then his focus landed on something above and behind me. He began to shout, "no, no this one belongs to me you can't do this," but it did not matter as he was force to vanish before my eyes as a blinding light suddenly filled all that I could see.

Suddenly, I was in a different place. The light in my eyes, while painful after being in the dark for so long, was one of the most magnificent sights I had ever witnessed. For the first time in so long I did not feel pain, I could not taste the bitterness of my own blood, I did not hear the tortured screams of others, and the smell of fresh air was the most amazing thing that I had ever experienced. I drew in a deep almost impossibly huge breath just to enjoy it. I did not know why I was here and in honesty I didn't really care. As far as I was concerned I was in paradise.

As I looked around this place my memories began to come flooding back to me. The memories of my life as the prince of the Empire of Britannia, my exile for seeking my mother's murderer, my life as the terrorist mastermind named Zero, and my choice to give my life so that the world would be free of tyrannical rulers. I once again knew who I was, I was the 99th ruler of the Empire of Britannia, the leader of the black knights, and the wielder of the power of geass, and I was Lelouch vi Britannia.

I quickly realized that I was standing on the Sword of Akasha the platform my father Charles zi Britannia and my mother lady Marrianne tried to use to turn back time and destroy the gods of the world. Knowing that there plan would only lead to the destruction of the world I did all in my power to stop them.

As I stood I looked up and realized that I was in the in the presence twisted pillars that represented the gods of this world and they were looking at me, not with eyes there were no eyes but I know that all of there attention was focused on me. And to my great surprise, they began to speak to me.

"Zero, do you know why you have been brought here from the underworld?" one of the two asked. I was at a loss for words, all I could do for a response was to slowly shake my head no. "You have been brought here so that we may offer you a deal." The other answered. Finally finding my voice I ask, "What deal would you possibly offer me." The first of the gods began to speak again, "the chance to return to the time before you reclaimed your memories as Zero and attempt to save your world from total destruction."

It took a moment for the ramifications of those words to sink before I realized what they meant. "What do you mean the total destruction of my world, it was supposed to be peaceful, a place where my sister could be happy." I shouted at then. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could it all have gone so wrong? Nunnally, my sister who meant more to me than my own life was supposed to live a happy and peaceful life. I wanted answers, and thankfully the gods saw fit to grant me them.

"After your death your sister did assume the thrown and ushered the world into an era of peace, however, it did not last. The nobles of Britannia refused to relinquish the power they had been given and drew an army to them so that they could take the thrown from Nunnally. The black knights that you assembled to maintain the peace and stability of the world fought against them. However, this led to a massive world war that led to the eventual destruction of the planet earth."

I could not believe my ears; all of my plans to help the world and create a place where my sister could be happy had failed. All of the pain that I had suffered, all of the people that I lost it was all for nothing. I almost slipped into despair until I remembered why they had brought me here.

"I don't understand why would you bother to try to save the human race? Throughout our history all we have done is try to kill each other, as if this was the eventual outcome. So I ask you, why bother?"

Their response was not what I expected.

"We are required to save this world, as we have been commanded." they replied.

No, not what I expected at all. Who, or more importantly what, could possibly command the gods of this world.

As if sensing my question the answer was presented to me, "it was you who commanded this action."

I was stunned, when did I ever give these beings such an order, and more importantly, why were they even listening to it? Suddenly, as if by a bolt of lightning, the answer struck me. "It was when I used my geass to foil the emperor's plan. I ordered you not to stop the flow of time, and with the earth destroyed its time cannot continue."

"Correct, because of the orders given to us by you we must now take direct action in order to uphold to your command. And sense you are the one who issued the order it is fitting that you be the one to see that it is carried out." They said.

"I don't see how I could make a difference. I failed once already. Even with knowledge of events that have yet to happen, I don't see how I could possibly make a difference."

"You will make a difference. Because you will not only have all of the power of geass at your disposal, but many other great powers that come with being our archangel should you accept our deal."

I stared at them in wonder. If they would grant me the power I would need to change the course of history then I could only give them one answer.

With a look of determination on my face I ask them, "What powers are you granting me exactly?"

……………

They killed her.

They shot this poor women and they were about to shoot me as well. They had already burn the bodies of the people around us, even if they weren't dead. It was obvious from the looks on the soldier's faces that my fate would not be any different.

The commander told me how I was nothing but bait for this woman that I had never met. As I held her and stared down the barrels of their guns I again hear the words of the commanding officer.

"So, any last words before you die?" he sneered at me.

I didn't know what to say. In truth, there was nothing that I could say. As I waited for the order to fire I looked down at the dead girl cradled in my arms. I don't really understand why, perhaps out of some sense of misplaced affection and regret, or perhaps because in what I believed to be my last moments I sought some form of comfort I don't know. All I did know as I stared at her lifeless face was that I felt the need to touch her still warm tender skin.

I bring my right hand up to lay it on her cheek, and suddenly my world became bathed in light. Images, names, faces, and battles they all flashed before my eyes.

With the touch of her skin, the memories of my life flooded my mind. My memories of Nunnally, my parents, and my true identity as Zero all come rushing back. However, it did not end there. Memories of things that had yet to happen came to me. Nunnally as viceroy, Shirley's death, Rolo saving my life, C.C.'s desire for death, my own death at the hands of my friend Suzaku, my time in the fiery pit of hell, and most importantly my contract with the gods.

Now I did not feel afraid, I did not feel despair about my situation, and I felt no need to mourn C.C. knowing that she would revive in mere moments. I had finally remembered who I was. All I had to deal with right now was the soldiers pointing guns at me.

I rose to my feet, a look of indifference on my face. The soldiers were stunned to see that I was no longer afraid. I remembered this moment from my previous life. I asked the soldiers a question about power and justice. This time I had no childish need to indulge in such theatrics. Although, there was one thing that I wanted to say to them," you are all fools to follow the orders of an arrogant misguided man like the emperor. But if your loyalty to that tyrant is so great that you would die for him, then so be it."

I looked at C.C. to make sure that she was still out of it. With her connection to Marrianne and the knowledge that Charles could grant her wish and take her life it was too dangerous for her to know that I possess greater powers then even she knows. One of the conditions of the gods deal with me was that I would have the full power of geass under my control. That means I would have geass in both of my eyes and I could turn them off and on at will. If she learned that I could do that she would start asking questions that I wasn't ready to answer. Thankfully, that wasn't going to be a problem just yet.

I closed my eyes and slowly reopened them, the symbol of geass glowing in them both. "I, Zero, command all of you… die." With a shout of yes sir, the troops turned to one another and shot each other.

With that task completed I turn and look at C.C. as she rises to her feet.

"It is good to see you again Lelouch." She says to me. Knowing that C.C. rarely said what she means it was not difficult to guess the true meaning of that statement, 'thank you for not dieing.' After all, with me gone the only way for her to fulfill her death wish was if she went to Charles. But with V.V. always lurking around that would be difficult. So for now, she needs me.

She hands me the box with the special contact lens that I wore in my previous life to help hide my demon left eye. Obviously there was no point in wearing it now with my ability to turn my geass off and on, but if I wanted to keep this fact hidden from her then I had no reason not to except it.

At the sound of nightmare frames crashing through the ceiling, I turn and once again lay eyes on my black knights. The red nightmare frame known as Guren kneels in front of the others. I take a moment to enjoy the fact that I could once again make my own choices. In hell I had been at the mercy of the demons who were torturing me. Now I had the chance to make my own decisions. Again I was in control of my own destiny, and I planned on putting that fact to good use.

……………

As I sat in the main security room sending out orders to the few soldiers that I had at my disposal I attempted to decide what I was going to do about my most worrying situation so far. It is not the minor Britanian forces that my men were picking off one by one. It was not the anticipated arrival of my surrogate little brother Rolo and his nightmare frame the Vincent. It wasn't even the situation with the enemy forces at all.

No, my biggest concern at the moment was one gun carrying, Guren piloting, bunny suit wearing, pissed off red head by the name of Kallen Kouzuki. In my old life Kallen and I had become very comfortable around each other. I new that I had deep feelings for the Kallen that I used to know, and for all intents and purposes until I did something to significantly change the timeline then the Kallen who was going to walk in the door any moment was the Kallen I fell for. I knew that, had I not needed to ignore her declaration of feelings for me in order for my suicide plan _Zero Requiem_ to succeed, I would have been happy to spend my life with her.

I know that this time _Zero Requiem _was not an option. What with its failure in my previous life. But did that mean that I had the freedom to act on these feelings in this life. An even more pressing problem was that as far as this Kallen was concerned, this was the first time that she and I would lay eyes on each other after the incident with Suzaku in the cave at Kaminejima Island. And if I remembered this meeting from the previous timeline correctly, she was going to walk in here point a gun at me and demand to know if I was simply use her and her friends to achieve my own ends. As I hear the door to the room close behind me I think to myself, 'I am in big trouble.'

……………

He is back. We finally have him, and now I can get the answers that I want. When I saw Suzaku shoot his mask off in that cave I still believed that he was the hero that would lead the Japanese to freedom. But when Suzaku asked me if I wanted to protect the man who used the Japanese people, I could not stand to be there any longer, so I ran. The hero that I thought I had been serving because I believed he could lead us to victory had been manipulating me the whole time.

I thought that our cause was lost. No one who deceives his soldiers could possibly be the king of justice that he had boasted about. But then I came to realize even if he deceived the Japanese people he was still the best chance we had at success. Also, I didn't know for sure if he wasn't actually going to help us get our freedom. In the end I didn't know what to believe. If Lelouch did simply use us, than he was no better then the emperor that we were trying to defeat. So we should have been better off finding some one different to lead us. the problem was that nobody else seemed up to the task.

I had seen Lelouch with his sister Nunnally a few times around Ashford Academy. I still found it hard to think that a boy who had done so much for his sister would toy with the lives of the people he called his allies.

Not sure what to think I turned to the only person who knew Lelouch almost as well as his sister. After all, he and C.C. had been together longer than the black knights had existed. But when ask, C.C. was less than helpful.

"It doesn't really matter to me if he chooses the path of the hero or the tyrant. All I care about is that he doesn't get killed. However, if you really want to know then you should ask him yourself." She had replied in that flat disinterested voice of hers.

She was right though, if I wanted to know if I was a soldier for justice or a slave to another tyrant then I would just have to get the answer strait from the horse's mouth.

That's why at this moment I was on my way to the security room to confront the lying bastard himself. A pistol held behind my back just in case. As I walk into the room I see that his back is turned to me. But at the sound of the door closing he turns to face me.

As he turns I look at his face, prepared for any sign that he may try something to get rid of me. If he was using the others then I, as the only person who was aware of his true identity, was a serious threat to his plans.

But something odd happened when he looked at me. His usual mask of indifference slipped and his face became a canvas painted with a rainbow of emotions. First, there was surprise almost fear, as if he was laying eyes on a ghost. Then a strange much warmer look crossed his features. The same look that I saw on his face every time he looked at Nunnally. It was a look of kindness and caring maybe even love, but that didn't make sense. Why would Lelouch look at me with love on his face? I abandoned him at Kaminejima Island leaving him to the mercy of Suzaku, he should have every reason to hate me. But his face was telling a different story.

It didn't matter. A moment later his face was once again indifferent. Again the reason for my confronting him came back to the front of my mind. I point the gun at him and prepare to ask the questions that had been burning in my mind for a year. And just to be sure I get my answers; I raise my pistol and point it right at his heart.

……………

I knew that she was coming. I knew what she was going to ask. Hell, I even knew that she was going to point a gun at me. I knew all of these things so I should have been more than ready for this conversation. But seeing her again, that I wasn't ready for.

I understood that by agreeing to this deal I would again be confronted with all of the people that I lost or had given up. I thought that I could take it. But standing here, and looking at her. All of my old feelings came rushing back.

For a moment I just stood there and took in her appearance. Her blood red hair,

blue gray eyes and that pink bunny suit that looks so good on her. Suddenly it didn't matter that we were in the middle of a battle or that Rolo was about to thoroughly outclass our forces. It didn't even matter that the current governor of area 11 and an entire army of nightmares were outside waiting for us. Standing here with this goddess before me I feel my heart warm, it begins to beat faster, and the look on my face softens. All I wanted to do at that moment was throw my arms around her and finish the kiss that she gave me when she confronted me after I became emperor in the previous timeline.

Then I see the gun in her left hand and realize that this is not the time or the place.

For now I would have to hide my feelings behind my best poker face and wait until she trusts me again.

"Is there something that you wanted to say to me Kallen?" I ask her.

"You lied to me." She responds

Remembering the role I have to play I ask," About who I was or about geass?"

"Both… answer me, did you use your geass power to control me?" she asks with anger in her voice.

Now I had a problem. The truth was I did use my geass on her once to erase her knowledge of me after the battle of Shinjuku. But even if I didn't use it to control her like she thought, I did use it to take away her memories. And if any one understood what a violation that felt like it was me. Once I regained my memories, after Charles used his geass to seal them in my previous life, I found myself hating him even more then I already had. I didn't want Kallen to hate me, but I couldn't lie to her face and still expect her to trust me again. So the question became, should I lie and give up any chance of her trusting me again or tell the truth and risk the wrath of the woman with the gun currently pointed at me? In the end, I knew if I wanted to regain her love and trust then honesty would have to be the better part of valor.

"Yes, I used geass on you, but not in the way that you think."

Her beautiful face twists with anger at my answer. But, in her eyes I can see a faint glow of curiosity. She wanted to know what I meant by that answer. Realizing that she hadn't shot me yet I took that as a sign to continue.

"I only used my powers to erase from your mind proof that I was the one giving orders at Shinjuku. But that is the extent to which I have used geass on you."

"What proof do I have that your telling the truth? You've lied about everything else for as long as I've known you. I should just kill you so you can never twist the hearts of any one else." She shouted at me.

"Kallen I have never twisted your heart. The choices you've made and the actions that you have taken have been made entirely with your own will." I look into her eyes as I step closer, pleading with her to see the honesty in my answer.

When I am close enough to her that the gun is pressed against my chest I ask her, "Do you truly want to kill me?"

Then the look on her face changed. The anger vanishes, her eyes widen, and for just a moment I can see on her face the heart break she would feel if I died. That look was enough to fill me with hope that we may someday be more than just allies.

"I don't want to kill you. But you should know my loyalty is to our cause not to you Lelouch." was her response.

Excepting that for now I was about to turn back to the monitors. Then I realize that she is standing in front of me in high heels and a skintight bunny suit that showed off a fair amount of her cleavage. Which I had to admit was very fair indeed. Knowing that she had forgotten her state of dress I push my raging teenage hormones aside and engaged in some light flirting.

"By the way Kallen, how long are you planning to wear that costume? Don't get me wrong you look simply stunning in it, but I don't think that is the proper attire for the battle field."

Looking down Kallen wraps her arms around her mostly exposed female assets trying to regain some form of modesty.

"D-Don't look at me you pervert." She says with a light blush on her cheeks. I had forgotten how adorable she looked when she was embarrassed.

Kallen was saved from further humiliation by C.C.'s voice over the radio.

"Britannia has called in reinforcements."

"They're coming in from above, too." says Kallen. As she turns to the monitors she leans on the computer staring at the screen and watching as the images of enemy forces appearing all around Babel Tower. While she wasn't looking I took off my coat and put it on her from behind. Knowing what was coming, I wasn't nearly as worried as she was.

"Governor Calares should be the one in command. Escaping will be nearly impossible. That's why we will win." I tell her with authority.

……………

As I take my seat in my nightmare frame I speak to my soldiers over the radio, "The enemy believes that they have us exactly where they want us. Which means everything is falling into place. All that is left is for C.C.'s team to complete their job."

C.C.'s flat response crackles over the microphone, "it will be ready in ten minutes."

Knowing Rolo was about to make his appearance, I give the order. "Good, in that case I want all nightmares to drop what you're doing and fall back to my position. With Diethard's system still in place all we have to do is get out of here."

"But Zero, if we're going to fight the enemy forces that are in the tower shouldn't we stay where we are?" came Urabe's confused response to my orders.

"No, the enemy is hunting for us. If they come in force I want the full power of the black knights to be waiting for them." My response was met with enthusiastic shout from others. However, Urabe, the sole remaining member of the Four Holy Swords at my disposal was correct. If I didn't know that the Vincent was on its way then the more logical option was to remain where they were. Urabe and Kallen both knew me well enough to see that I knew something that they didn't, but they kept their comments to themselves.

"Zero this is unit R5. I see a strange nightmare coming into the hall I'll deal with it and be with you shortly."

Knowing what the man was talking about I shout over the radio, "no, all forces avoid the enemy nightmare at all costs. Get back to my position. R5 do you here me?" static was my only response. I was too late, that man was dead and I knew how. My little brother Rolo and his Vincent had arrived.

Knowing the enemy was almost at our doorstep, all of the other nightmares crowded around me and Urabe's voice came over the radio, "Zero you should get out of here. We will act as a diversion so that the plan can succeed."

Disgusted at Urabe's plan I begin to set him strait, "You're wrong Urabe. Using yourselves as sacrificial pawns is a tactic that will never beat Britannia." Hoping that my words would inspire more self worth in the soldiers we continue to wait for the conformation that our escape is ready. Suddenly an explosion goes off at the far end of the room and the Vincent leaps out of the smoke. It lands, and finds itself in front of the bulk of the black knight's forces.

Staring at this ally from my past I instruct my forces "Do not harm the enemy. I want that nightmare captured." That was the best order that I could give at the moment. Rolo was a fare enough pilot to keep from getting captured. But unless I wanted him to decimate my forces then I would have to keep him from using his geass to freeze them. Meaning I was going to use the anti-geass power that the gods gave me and pray he didn't learn that I was the one doing it until I was ready to reveal everything.

As the first units charged at him the Vincent drew its swords. With my blue anti-geass eyes open I could see the field of energy that spread out from the Vincent. I sent out my own field to counteract Rolo's quick enough that nobody noticed his strange power. Rolo would be the only one who was aware that his geass wasn't working. The fact that his powers weren't working must be worrying him. The Vincent fired its hip cables at the first two units. It took the arm off one and destroyed the head on the other. He grabbed the one without its head and used it as a shield while he plowed through the other nightmares. He got about halfway before Urabe swung his sword hoping to cleave him in two and end this fight.

The Vincent leaped into the air over Urabe's sword. And the remaining forces between him and the nightmare frame that I was in. Rolo tried to use his geass a second time and again I canceled him out. I knew that Rolo must be close to having a panic attack by now. I opened fire on the Vincent trying to force him back. The Vincent countered by attaching the handles of his swords and spinning them so they deflected the bullets. The Vincent charged, preparing to attack me but was intercepted. Urabe's custom nightmare was crossing blades with Rolo's Vincent. Despite Kallen shouting Urabe's name I could still hear his words.

"Zero I don't care if you are a student. You said sacrificing ourselves wasn't the way to beat Britannia and I know that you weren't lying then. That is why I will do everything I can to help you save Japan." Urabe shouted with passion. The other nightmares began to close in on the Vincent and began firing at it. While they were careful not to hit Urabe they didn't manage to hit the Vincent. It once again leaped out of there range.

Further fighting was made unnecessary as the voice of C.C. was heard over the radio telling us that our escape plan was complete. "Good job, thanks. Urabe get everyone together, its time to leave." I announce over the radio. Then I raise the remote detonator in my right hand and press the button on the top. Immediately the sounds of distant explosions can be heard, and soon the floor that we're standing on collapses beneath us, leaving the Vincent to get out on its own.

……………

Watch my monitor of the building I begin to understand what Lelouch's plan was from the start. The set charges blew the building into two halves. The half that we were in remained stable. While the half that was inhabited by only the Britanian forces collapsed right on top of the enemy forces that were waiting for us out side. It also had the added bonus of creating a path for us to the Chinese consulate where we had allies waiting to grant us safety. Like all of Lelouch's plans, this one was pure brilliance.

From what I could determine from the information we had on enemy forces, Governor Calares had sealed his own fate by eliminating all of the possible exits. As I head to the consulate with others I can't help feeling that now that we have Lelouch back we were unstoppable. After getting out of my nightmare I search for him but am unable to locate him. I begin to wonder if he already left when I see him dressed in his long coat and the mask he wears as Zero appear on a nearby monitor.

……………

Dressed in my, once familiar, attire as Zero I move in front of the prepared camera. I had tried to save the world and sacrificed my own happiness to do it. I have risen from hell itself and I had the chance to once again save the world.

I had used my geass on a couple of E.M.T.s and an ambulance driver and ordered them to call Villetta Nu and create my alibi that I was under their care while I appeared on television. Now it was time to declare my existence to the world. As I receive the signal from the C.C., who was operating the camera, I begin my declaration.

"People of the world, I am Zero. A year ago I fought the Britanian Empire for the freedom of all Japan, but no more." I look at the faces in the room and see shock and confusion on many of them. If they thought I was going to abandon them then they were wrong. "I look at the world and find myself saddened by the state of its inhabitants, and disgusted by how the empire has placed the world under its boot, I say 'enough'. It is because of the atrocities committed by this plague that calls itself the 'holy empire' that I have returned.

That is why I no longer only fight for the nation of Japan, but for the freedom of the entire world. And I will begin by once again declaring the United States of Japan, which for the time being will consist of this room. It will be a nation that does not discriminate between blood, race, or religion. And the only requirement for membership is that you be willing to fight for justice." I finish with a flourish.

It was done, my path was set, and the war was about to begin. My next task was to get back to Ashford Academy and convince my watchers that I wasn't Zero until I could gain control of them. However, I first had to regain the faith of my little brother Rolo. Then all I had to do was free the captured black knights, convince them of my true identity as an mighty archangel sent back in time, evacuate the Japanese people out of the empires reach again, convince Xingke and the Chinese Empress to help us, assassinate V.V. and the geass users, foil Charles' plans to destroy the world, and make the world a safe place for Nunnally. As I climb into the ambulance of the men I control, I let the magnitude of my task finally rest on me, and I collapse onto a nearby bed.

……………

Well that's it. If anybody has any comments good or bad let me know. Depending on the reviews I may or may not continue this story, it up to you readers. If anybody is interested in being a Beta to this story let me know. This is my first fanfiction and I could use the help. Send me reviews. Until next time.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own code geass or anything that is related to it.

I would like to offer my apologies for taking so long on this chapter. It was a lot harder to write than I thought it would be. I promise to be quicker with the next one. I would like to address some of the reviews I have gotten. This is not a LeouchxKallen fiction; they are just the main characters. This is a LelouchxHarem. Right now it will only include Kallen, Shirley, and C.C., though I'm not yet sure how to work her in. If you readers want anyone else then send me a review and I may consider them.

_memory_

"talking"

'thinking'

**Chapter 2: The Twin Brothers of Heaven**

As I watched Zero's broadcast replayed on the news and listened to his declaration to help the world I couldn't help but smile. He was at it again, the theatrics and the speeches about justice. Of course knowing Lelouch, he probably had some ulterior motive. But that didn't matter, as long as he continued to give hope to the people and help the black knights achieve their goal of an independent Japan then I had no reason to give him trouble. Hearing the door behind me open and close I begin to turn around.

"It seems that you've done it aga—, "I stop upon laying eyes on who entered. It was not Lelouch like I expected but C.C. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Where else would I be?" she asked in that usual flat tone.

"I mean what are you doing here and where is Lelouch?" I responded with some heat. Sometimes I wondered if she knew how much that flat voice she used ticked people off. Of course, knowing C.C. she did know and it was how she got her laughs at every ones expense. Not that I had ever really heard her laugh.

"Lelouch left right after he finished with that speech. He is under surveillance you know. He needed to get back to Ashford Academy before he was missed." She replied.

That was true. For the time being it was best that nobody knew who Zero was. And if the Britanians suddenly lost track of who they knew was Zero originally it was as good as hanging up a neon sign that said I'm the empires worst enemy, send your entire army out to kill me. But even though I understood the reasons, there was still something bothering me.

"If our leader decides to leave our headquarters then we need to know. Why didn't he tell anyone that he left?" I asked.

C.C. just looked at me and gave me that smile that seems to say, 'who are you trying to fool?' and I suddenly got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. This feeling proved accurate with C.C.'s next words.

"Are you angry because he didn't tell the black knights he left? Or are you angry because he didn't tell you he left?" she asked putting emphasis on the word you.

"What are you insinuating C.C.?" I asked with some heat.

"I simply find it interesting that you would be so concerned with Lelouch's well being. Could it be that you have feelings for a prince of the empire. What a scandal that would be, the ace of the black knights falling for a member of the royal family." She said with that same annoying grin on her face.

"Me in love with that arrogant manipulating jerk. How dare you. I could never have feelings for a man that uses people like pawns. Someone who isn't even capable of real love." I said. But even as I said this I couldn't help but remember that look that had crossed his face so briefly in the tower. That look that showed pure love and caring. I still didn't know why he looked at me like that. But thinking about it I couldn't help the blush that came to my cheeks.

Looking at C.C. and seeing that smug look on her face I knew she had seen my flushed cheeks. I could tell that she was not going to let this go. But it didn't matter, it wasn't like I was actually falling for Lelouch.

Was I?

……………

"Add some more salt to that pot Lelouch."

"Please check the oven Lelouch."

"Break two eggs into that bowl Lelouch."

"Add some more seasoning to that plate Lelouch."

"And Lelouch don't forget to—. "

"Slow down Milly, I've only got two hands and they're both full right now."

The student council was currently in the kitchen preparing a welcome back dinner for me and Rolo. After I was dropped off by the ambulance the paramedics explained to Villetta that I had been found in the basement of Babel Tower unconscious. Sense she had no way of disproving the alibi that my pawns had invented on my orders she was forced to accept that I had been in their care when Zero gave his speech. Thus for the time being I was in the clear.

"Why don't you ask Rivalz or Shirley to help out." I ask her.

"Because Rivalz isn't responsible enough to trust with all that. And Shirley…" Milly looks over at Shirley only to see her turn on a blender without the lid on top.

As I watch Shirley swing her arms around trying to stop the mess from getting any worse, I remembered how She was something of a klutz in the kitchen. I reply, "I see your point."

"Just behave yourself Lelouch. After all, you don't strike anybody as the responsible type." She said with a grin on her face.

"I don't know, after all a guy who keeps a record of his house hold spending seems responsible to me." Said Rivalz with his usual humor.

"How did you know about that?" I asked accusingly.

"Jeez, you really do? Just when you think you know a guy." Rivalz replied with a laugh.

I should have seen that coming. He got me with that same joke in my previous life. I can't believe I let him get the same laugh at my expense again. I really needed to stay more focused. Of course my thoughts were once again interrupted by the sound of Shirley falling on her butt and some how wound up with a bowl of flower on her head.

"Want a towel?" Rivalz asked her condescendingly.

"I can get one myself thank you very much." Was Shirley's tart reply.

"You know, you and Rolo were really lucky to have escaped Babel Tower. Shirley was practically beside herself with worry." Milly began a high pitched imitation of Shirley, "Oh my darling Lulu, are you going to be alri--."

So distracted by her own performance that she never saw Shirley run up behind her and cover her mouth, while telling her to be quite.

Shirley. There was a problem that I still didn't know what to do about. In my previous life I had pushed her away in order to protect her. Of course that didn't work out well. Back then she died because of a misunderstanding with Rolo. He thought some one had discovered my identity and would tell others. Knowing how it happened I know I could easily make sure that it didn't happen again. This time I would make sure Shirley lived, I owed her that much.

Thinking about that day was still painful. Listening to her declare with her dieing breath that she would continue to love me in this life and the next. It still brought a stabbing pain to my heart. She loved me, and I would be fooling myself if I said that I didn't have feelings for her, feelings that were in many ways both similar and different to how I felt for Kallen. But unlike the situation with Kallen, I knew that I had no right to act on them with Shirley. Aside from the obvious morale dilemma of having feelings for two different women. Shirley wasn't a fighter. She wasn't a soldier in this war like Kallen. She had no stake in either side and I had no right to make her choose one. So for the time being I would have to play the cold and uncaring person around her, and pray that she got over her crush on me before it was too late. I just hope I wasn't making the same mistakes twice.

……………

I certainly have a lot to deal with at the moment. If memory served then in just a few hours the acting Viceroy Gilbert Guilford was going to publicly announce the execution of the captured black knights. And he would dare Zero, me, to try and stop him. I suppose the plan of collapsing the platform would work twice, or was this the first time. The difference was that I wasn't going to use this as a chance to manipulate Rolo. I had toyed with him and strung him along in the previous timeline. I had thought of him as just a pawn to control, but in the end he had given his life to save mine. I had done the same for Nunnally so how could I not see him now for what he was? My little brother.

As I walked down the deserted hallways of Ashford Academy lost in my own thoughts I hear someone call my name.

"Lelouch, be sure to show up for class tomorrow." Villetta shouts from down the hall.

Well, speak of the devil. Following Villetta Nu down the hall was none other then Rolo. This time I would do right by him, this time I would be a true big brother, this time I would not let him die. And the best way to keep that from happening would be to use another power that the gods have given me. But this would be more difficult. The gods had graced me with the full control of my geass and anti-geass. But that was merely an improvement on an ability that I had when I was alive so there was no consequences to that. However, the other powers that they had granted me were another matter. They told me that using them there would be a price to pay, they didn't say what but I knew that there would be. So the question was if I was willing to pay this price for Rolo?

"Big brother, are you alright? You look a little depressed." Rolo asked with concern.

"Yes Rolo I'm alright. Sorry about zoning out, I've got a lot on my mind." I answer automatically.

Yes, like Nunnally, Rolo was my family. I was his big brother in all but blood and I will pay any price to help him. This time I would save him.

……………

Three days, it has been three days sense Babel Tower and the declaration that Zero made. And in that time all the Britannias have done is glare at us from across the wall of the Chinese Federation embassy. 'That won't last much longer,' I think as I stand beneath the hot water of the shower in the room provided for Zero.

'He hasn't contacted us at all. What the hell could he be waiting for?' I ask myself as I turn off the water. I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my body as I continue to contemplate the character of the man who will lead us to victory.

As I finish drying off and pick up the fresh clothes that had been set out for me I lay my eyes on the bunny suit that I wore at Babel Tower. I still can't believe that I was talked in to wearing something so demeaning. Having to parade around in that overly revealing outfit and be leered at by all of the men in that place, and even some of the women. All of this so they could see which of those wearing these ridiculous things was attractive enough to be purchased like property. God, how far has our society fallen?

Although, thinking of Lelouch's reaction brought a blush to my cheeks. I still wasn't sure if his words were meant to be a joke at my expense or if he was flirting with me because he actually found me attractive. Before I learned who he was I would have given my life for the man I thought Zero was. I would even say I was falling in love with him. But then the mask had come off and I didn't know what to think.

It didn't matter, he was back now and he would either lead us to victory or die trying. I would make sure of it. And it didn't matter if I had fallen for Zero; I still didn't think that I was falling for Lelouch. But every time I thought that I remembered that look he gave me in Babel Tower. I still didn't know what it meant. Even more puzzling was the warmth that it still brought to my cheeks. I just don't understand how one look could have this effect on me.

Putting that thought aside for more contemplation later, another thought occurs to me, one that seriously pisses me off.

I marched out of the bathroom and went to confront the reason for my anger. As I step in to the next room I see the large table in the middle with a couch on either side. Sitting on the couch on my left I see the Chinese ambassador and standing behind him I notice his body guard Xingke. And on the other side of the table seated in the opposite couch I see the source of my problem, C.C.

"C.C., it just occurred to me, wouldn't it have made more sense if you wore the bunny costume?" I ask her with anger. I couldn't believe that I had endured wearing that stupid costume when it would have been easier if she had done it instead.

It wasn't until after I said that that I realized all three of them were staring at me. I look down at myself and realize that I was only wearing a towel. In my anger I had forgotten to get dressed before rushing out to confront C.C.

With a gasp and a shriek I throw my arms around my chest and scramble back behind the screen blocking the view into the bathroom.

I could hear the Chinese ambassador exclaim that Zero was actually a woman and C.C. conform his question. I was about to step away from the screen and tell them the truth, clothes or no clothes. But I was stopped by the voice of the last person I expected.

"She is not Zero, I am."

I look around the screen and I see him. He hadn't sent word that he was coming. nobody notified C.C. or me that he was here; I didn't even hear him open the door. But there he was and what shocked me was he wasn't dressed as Zero but as Lelouch. No mask, no long coat just the basic Ashford Academy uniform. I couldn't believe he had done something so reckless.

As I look at C.C. I can see by the widening of her eyes that she is just as surprised as I am. But despite all this nothing could have shocked me as much as his next words.

"Kallen, as much as I enjoy looking at your magnificent body, I don't think we're to the point in our relationship where you can walk around my chambers naked." He says while laughing.

"Pervert!" I shout at him as I hurry back into the bathroom to put my clothes on. I can't believe he said that, and in front of the others no less. I don't think I had ever blushed so hard in my entire life.

As I walk back into the next room, now fully clothed, I hear Lelouch address Xingke.

"Xingke, I am aware of your love for the Chinese empress. And I know that you're aware of the fact that the high eunuchs would use her to gain favor with the empire. I would even bet they would set up a political marriage between her and a member of the royal family just to get on the empires good side. Knowing those are their intentions, I will make you a deal. If you agree to join and support the black knights then I will give you my solemn vow, I will do everything in my power to help you protect the empress." Lelouch declared with authority.

I looked at Xingke and could see him considering the deal. Finally with a nod he agreed.

"Excellent, well with that done I will bid you all good bye." Lelouch said before he vanished with a brief flash of light. Looking around at the other shocked faces in the room I could see that I wasn't the only one asking, 'how the hell did he do that?'

……………

'Astral projection. What a useful and useless ability.' I think to myself as I lean back off of my desk and into my chair. To the casual observer it would appear as if I had simply fallen asleep at my desk. In truth, I was projecting my spirit from my body and toward the spirit of anybody that I wanted. In this case Xingke.

When the gods told me about this ability I wasn't really sure what good it would be. After all, in astral form I couldn't touch or be touched by anything or any one. I couldn't use geass and while I was using this power my body fell into a trance-like state leaving me completely vulnerable. And I appear in astral form exactly as I am when I use this power. So unless I wanted to dress up like Zero in the middle of Ashford and inform those watching me that I had my memories back then I had to appear in the embassy as Lelouch.

But this power did have a bonus. Even though all I could do was observe and be observed this would make being in two places at once much easier. If I was with the black knights I could occasionally use this power to create an alibi that I was somewhere else and the witnesses wouldn't know the difference, unless they tried to touch me. And if I was at Ashford I could attend meetings with the black knights like I just did.

I have to admit the look on C.C.'s and Kallen's faces when I appeared dressed as I am were priceless. And after Kallen went to get dressed C.C. left no doubts about her surprise.

"_Well I certainly didn't expect to see you here." She stated._

"_I needed a word with Xingke." I replied._

"_Might I inquire why you're not wearing your mask?" she asks with some curiosity. I knew that she had to be going nuts trying to figure out what I was up to with this stunt. But for right now she was going to have to remain in the dark._

"_There was no need. The only person that I'm revealing myself to is Xingke." I tell her with finality. This was true, with the eunuch under my control then the only person in the room, who didn't know my true identity was Xingke. _

_With that discussion finished I turn to Xingke and see the calculating look on his face. I knew he was attempting to understand what I meant by excluding the ambassador from that statement. _

_I wasn't worried; I knew that I could trust Xingke. This was the man who had captured Kallen in my previous life and nearly defeated my forces. He is as strong as Suzaku but as brilliant as me and as long as I helped him protect the Chinese empress then he could be one of our greatest allies._

I'm pulled from my thoughts as I look at the television and see the imprisoned black knights. Turning up the volume I listen as Guilford makes his challenge.

'Zero, face me in an honorable duel. Yeah, right. Like having a duel with a dozen sniper rifles pointed at me is a fair fight.' I think to my self.

Well the clock has officially started. I now had to get control of the rest of my watchers. The ones who work on the grounds were simple enough to find, I still remembered them from my previous life. That means all that was left were the ones in the control room under the leadership of Ms. Villetta. It was easy to get around her; I just had to wait till she was teaching her classes.

My problem was my little brother Rolo. If he was down there he would attack me the moment I took a step off the elevator. And I can't use my geass and anti-geass at the same time. So if I went down there with my anti-geass ready I could fend off Rolo's geass long enough to incapacitate him, but that would leave the Britannia's free to sound the alarm. Then Charles would know I had my memories back and he would threaten Nunnally. If I used my geass then I would be vulnerable to Rolo's geass and he would kill me.

I'm pulled from my thoughts by the sound of the door opening. I turn to see Shirley and I remember she was going to ask for my help in picking out a gift for Ms. Villetta.

Knowing the part that I have to play, I turn away from her and with my head down I coldly ask her,"What do you want Shirley?"

"I was hoping that you might help me with something." She responds with a subdued tone.

I could tell that she was shocked by my cold attitude.

Seeing the heartbroken look on her face hurt. But I knew if I wanted to keep her safe I had to keep her as far from me as possible, physically and emotionally.

As if lightning had suddenly struck me, I realized the opportunity in front of me.

"Why don't you ask Rolo to help you pick out a present for Ms. Villetta? I'm sure he would be more than willing to help you." This was perfect. If I could convince Shirley to get Rolo out of the school for just a short time, then I could deal with my watchers.

Had my back not been to her, I would have seen the puzzled look on Shirley's face.

"Okay, I'll ask him." She says slowly.

I pretended to ignore her as Shirley left the room. Had I been paying more attention as the door closed behind her, I might have heard her ask herself, "How did he know that I was going to ask about Ms. Villetta's birthday present?"

……………

'Well, this is boring.' I think to myself as I sit on the couch at the far end of the Britanian observation room. Thankfully, Shirley took my advice and dragged Rolo with her to the mall. With him out of the way and Villetta teaching a swim class, sneaking in and subduing the last of my watchers was simple.

Now alone in the room I just had to wait for Rolo to get back. Then I could put the last phase of this plan into action. Looking at the monitors to my left I see Rolo exiting the elevator.

"Where is he? Where is Lelo-," He stops upon seeing me sitting on the couch. Idly pointing a gun at him.

"I don't want to hurt you Rolo. I just want to talk." I tell him calmly, as I rise to my feet.

"Sense you're here, am I to assume that you have regained your memories?" He asked with that emotionless look on his face.

"Yes I have. I am Zero." I tell him, knowing how he will react. A moment later I get the response that I want as I see his right eye begin to glow. I don't try to stop him with my anti-geass. Its better to let him believe he is in control until he is close enough for me to help him.

Seeing that the gun is no longer in my hand, I look over my shoulder to see Rolo ready to kill me.

"Now, you will tell me where C.C. is so that I can complete my mission."

I couldn't help the smile that broke out across my face. "No I don't think that I will."

"Then I'm afraid I will have to kill you." He threatens. Hoping that will get me to talk.

"You know, you need to give me a little more credit. Do you really think that I would hand a loaded gun to a trained assassin?" I ask him with seriousness.

A puzzled look crosses Rolo's face before he squeezes the trigger. His eyes widen when the only reaction is a quite click.

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction. I spin around, grabbing his right hand with the gun in it by the wrist. I twist it so he drops the gun and with my right forearm pressed horizontally against his chest, I force him back against the vacant stretch of wall to the right of the monitors. Letting go of his wrist I position my left palm flat against his forehead. Seeing the glow of his right eye, I activate my anti-geass. I don't freeze to Rolo's great shock.

With Rolo stunned by the ineffectiveness of his power, I close my eyes and brace myself for what I am about to do. I have to concentrate for this to work. The gods gave me the power to heal the bodies of all those who have been touched by the power of geass. Both users and victims alike. I was going to use this power to make sure that when Rolo used his geass, his heart would never again be stopped in the process. Hopefully, this would convince Rolo that I was not his enemy.

The irony is the gods told me that in order for this ability to work I had to power it with intense emotion. That I had to draw on the feelings invoked by my own tragic history. When I heard this I almost went into hysterics at the absurdity of it. Healing the people I loved and lost with the very memories of their pain and deaths at my hands.

As I try to tap into this power, I summon the memories I had of Rolo. The time I saved the Vincent from the sniper at the cost of my own knightmare frame. Our battles with the black knights against Britannia. Just spending time together working for the student council. And the most powerful memory of all, Rolo saving my life at the cost of his own.

The love, anger, and sorrow these memories invoked had the desired effect. I could feel something in my heart beginning to respond. A warmth was spreading through my whole body. It was working, I could feel the power to heal Rolo at my fingertips.

That's when it hit me. The warmth suddenly vanished, and was replaced with a physical stabbing pain. I could feel blood running down from my nose and I could taste it in my mouth. Was this the price the gods warned me about? Healing the wounds of others inflicted actual painful injuries on me. What kind of sick joke was being played on me? Pulled from hell just to continue my own masochistic torture.

But it didn't matter. Even if it meant I had to be set on fire again, I swore to do all in my power to help the people that I cared about. And that is exactly what I was going to do.

fortifying my resolve, I open my eyes to see the face of my one true brother twisted in a silent scream of pain. His eyes and mouth were wide open and a light was shining from within him. His body was being healed but he was feeling the same pain that I was. And he didn't have the same tolerance for it that I had from being in hell. I had to finish this quickly for Rolo's sake. For that reason I called upon the most powerful memory I had. The memory of Nunnally crying her eyes out as I lay dieing from the fatal blow Suzaku dealt me.

With a final push, I force all of the power I can into Rolo. With a burst of energy I am blown into the wall behind me. I look at Rolo and see him on his hands and knees trembling from the pain of what I had just put him through.

A smile broke out across my face as I realize it had worked. Then the unexpected happened. I felt as if my heart had stopped. I place one hand on my knees and bring the other to my mouth as I start coughing. It felt as if something was forcing its way up my throat and out of my mouth. Looking at the crimson stain on my hand, it hits me just how accurate that is. I was coughing up my own blood. There was already a small puddle on the floor. Slowly my eyes started to drift shut and I was overcome by the sensation of falling. I could hear somebody shouting my name before I lost consciousness.

……………

"Why do you think he did it?" I asked C.C. as I finished assembling my rifle.

"Why do I think who did what?" She replies.

"Don't play dumb. Why do you think Lelouch revealed himself to Xingke like that?" I growl at her. I wish she would stop acting so emotionless. It could be very frustrating.

"It doesn't really matter to me what he does as long as he doesn't get killed." She says with that same uninterested voice she always uses.

Hearing her show concern for Lelouch's well fare, an interesting question occurs to me.

"How do you feel about Lelouch?" I ask her with some curiosity.

"Do I have romantic feelings for him, you mean?" She responds with that same smug look. "There is nothing romantic between me and Lelouch. So your free to act on your feeling for him Kallen."

"WHAT FEELINGS?" I shout as my blush rises.

……………

"What am I doing here?" I asked myself as I view the darkness around me. And the one voice I had hoped never to hear again, answered.

"Because I brought you here." It answered. The voice that had haunted my every waking moment sense Suzaku plunged that sword through my chest. The voice so cold it could freeze hot coals. It was the voice of the demon that had tortured me everyday in hell.

" Surprised to see me again?" He asked, almost laughing with delight.

"You know, when the gods dragged you out of here I thought I had lost my favorite play thing. But no, I was lucky. Lucky that I you were dumb enough to get your self killed. HA HA HA." He laughed sinisterly as he continued to skulk in the shadows of this place.

'Die? How could I die? There is still so much for me to do. So many people for me to save.' I kept asking myself how this was possible. Then the answer was given to me.

"You know, I have always been a big lover of irony. And it doesn't get more ironic then killing yourself trying to save someone else life. It just so funny. Now you get to rot down here while everyone and everything you ever cared about gets destroyed all over again. How does it feel to have failed twice little Lulu." He shouts in my face.

'This can't be happening. Kallen, Shirley, Nunnally, there all going to die again. NOOOOO.' I scream in my mind as I strain against the chains hooked to my flesh. "No, I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen. I will save them, ALL OF THEM!!!" I roar at the top of my lungs as the chains that bind me snap and I lung at that monster.

"I'LL SAVE THEM ALL" I shout as I fly through the air.

"Brother(cough)your hurting…me."

As I come to my senses, I realize that I'm not in hell. But back in the secret Britanian surveillance center beneath Ashford. And I'm kneeling on top of Rolo with my knees on his chest and my hands around his throat.

Seeing that it was just a nightmare, I quickly release him.

"Rolo I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" I try to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why I did that. But I find that I don't have to.

"Its okay big brother. You must have been having a terrible nightmare." He says with his usual happy smile. Seeing that he wasn't disturbed by my…episode. I was about to start an explanation of what I did to him. But all thoughts of that were driven from my mind before I could even open my mouth.

"Tell me big brother. Were you dreaming of Charles and Marrianne? Or were you dreaming of hell? Or perhaps you were dreaming of Nunnally as she cried over your dieing body." He asked me while giving me that same penetrating stare he has when ever he gets serious.

My eyes widen as my mouth falls slack. 'That's impossible. How can he know about those things? The gods never said this would happen.'

He must have taken my silence as a request to explain himself.

"I know everything. I could see it all flashing before my eyes as you healed me. The previous recovery of your memories, your death at the hands of Suzaku, your time in hell." His voice begins to crack. "I even saw your deal with the gods. I saw it all. You came back to save us. The whole world." He says as tears begin to fall from his eyes.

'Rolo knows everything.' I realize with horror. I lower my head in shame, unable to bare looking him in the eye. "If you know everything, then you know that I must apologies." If he knew everything then he knew how I manipulated him. Even if I came to see him as my brother in the end, it could not make up for using him like an expendable tool.

"Yes, you do need to apologize." I could hear his voice harden. I began to brace myself for what ever pain he was about to inflict on me. "You need to apologize for letting Suzaku kill you after I gave my life to save yours."

Stunned by this statement, I look up and lock eyes with my little brother. He was smiling at me. He knew what I did and I could tell he had forgiven me. Realizing this, I began to smile myself.

"Commander Zero, what are your orders." He asks while he salutes me. It finally hits me. I had my little brother back. And together we were going to give the emperor hell.

A look of determination on my face, I respond, "Its time we freed the black knights. Lets go little brother."

He gives me a brief nod before we both turn toward the door to leave. I knew there was going to be more explaining later. But for now it didn't matter. We had a job to do. Walking side by side to the elevator I begin to plan exactly how we were going to give Guilford the battle of his career.

……………

Well that's it. If anybody has any comments good or bad let me know. Seriously, your opinions positive or negative are what motivate me to continue. If I can't get more responses after this chapter then I may have to end my short career as a writer. This is my first fanfiction and I could use the help. Send me reviews. Until next time.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own code geass or anything that is related to it.

Sorry again for the time it took me to update. This chapter was really hard to right at first. I would like to address some of the reviews I have gotten. I have gotten messages from people who think I might be biting off more than I can chew with the harem. So I have come to a decision. IF I go with the harem, it will only include Kallen, Shirley, and C.C. And now I know how to work her in. My problem is: I have gotten messages about people preferring C.C. and Lelouch. I have had requests for just Kallen and Lelouch. Oddly, I haven't gotten one word about Shirley. So I have set up a poll in my profile to find out witch one of, or if all of, the girls would be preferred. So send me your responses.

_memory_

"talking"

'thinking'

**Chapter 3: Old Comrades Return**

It was almost time for the executions to begin. Ohgi, Tohdoh, all of the remaining black knights were chained up and about to be killed. I was in the Guren and the rest of our forces were piloting their own knightmare frames. We were ready to charge in there and save them.

But we had to wait. Our commander wasn't here yet. He hadn't sent any word on what to do. So we were still waiting for instructions. Not that it matters. I don't see how Lelouch could possibly pull off a rescue like this. The situation seems impossible to pull off. That is obvious. But that doesn't seem to matter to the people standing out side of the battle field. Even now, from so far away, I could hear them all shouting for zero. They wanted him to defeat the Britannia's and save our comrades. They kept praying for him to make a miracle. Although I wouldn't admit it, even to myself, I was praying for the same thing.

What ever he was going to do, he had better do it quick. Time was almost…

"Elevens, the zero you believed in has not appeared. It has all been a deception. I challenged him to a fair and honest duel. But he has skulked away like a coward. Soldiers, take aim."

With that speech and order from Guilford, I knew our time was up. The soldiers began turning their weapons on our captured comrades. The situation was growing desperate. In my rising panic I grip the controls of the Guren more tightly. If Lelouch was going to do anything he had better do it now. And if he didn't, then I would.

Sensing what I was about to do, Urabe's voice comes from my communicator. He tells me not to do anything. I was beginning to fear that I would have to watch my friends die. But my hope was restored, at the sound of the voice of the man everyone here had been waiting for.

"You're wrong Guilford. I have come to free my friends and comrades."

Looking behind Guilford's knightmare, I see him. My eyes widen and a smile spreads across my face as I see him standing on the back of a knightmare. Feeling my resolve strengthen at the sight of him, I prepare my Guren to fight. I didn't know what he was going to do, but I realized it didn't matter. Lelouch wouldn't be here if he didn't have a plan. All we had to do was wait and see what trick he would pull off this time.

……………

'Well, if ever there was a feeling of déjà vu, this is it.' I calmly think to myself as I stand on the back of my knightmare. I could remember exactly how I felt the first time I was in this situation. Facing down Guilford and his forces, dozens of guns pointed at me, the fate of the black knights hanging in the balance, it's all rather exhilarating. Last time I had been too worried about Rolo and his response to my actions to truly enjoy this feeling. The excitement I was feeling because I knew I was going to defeat Guilford. The pleasure I got at the thought that I was going to humiliate Britannia. And the warmth at how I knew it would make Kallen happy to know that I was about to get back the people who matter to her.

I was going to win. And with Rolo helping me from the shadows, this would be easy. Now it is time to begin the show.

"Guilford, those are not just terrorists. They are the black knights, soldiers of the United States of Japan." I shout at him. Not that I expect him to acknowledge them as prisoners of war and treat them as such. I need Guilford to think that is what I expected of him. That way it would hide my true agenda from him.

"You expect me to acknowledge them as prisoners of war? Don't be so foolish Zero." He followed the exact line of thinking I thought he would.

As I move my knightmare forward, the gates meant to keep the civilians out opens for me. I look at Guilford and try to decide what I should do about him. In the previous time line I used him to get out of a tight jam with Suzaku right before the battle where the first F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead was used. But I had engaged him in battle several times by that point. So I felt no guilt at using him. However, things were different this time. If I let him live I knew he would become a constant pain in my side in the future. Although I owed nothing to Guilford personally, I did owe my big sister Cornelia. This man wasn't just loyal to her, he actually loved her. And I know that if she was honest with herself, she had deep feeling for him as well. Given the pain I caused her by killing euphy the least I could do was spare the man she loves.

"It's been a long time Guilford. Why don't you exit your knightmare and we can talk about the old days. We could even discuss Cornelia." I calmly say to him.

"Tempting as that offer is, I think I'll stay where I am. We can settle our past grudges from the inside of our knightmares." He responds stoically.

Now it's time to set the stage. "Before we begin our duel I think we should agree on some rules." I say to him as I close the door to my cockpit. "First, sense this is an honorable duel, it will be one on one, just you and me. Second, we shall both use only one weapon."

"Agreed." Was the short response he gave me as he drops his gun and cables. He spins his lance over his head and then brings it down to point at me. "This is my weapon of choice." He shouts with some passion.

"Fine, then I would like to borrow the twin swords used by the Vincent." I tell him as I move my knightmare to point at the golden frame behind him.

"Pilot, grant him your swords." Guilford orders the Vincent. Not realizing that it was being controlled by my little brother. The Vincent rolls forward, draws its blades and hands them to me. After Rolo moves back to his previous station, I move myself into a combat stance. With the two swords held out horizontally in front of me I assume one of the classic duel sword stances. My left blade held waist high and my right held just above eye level. I was almost ready for this to begin.

"Guilford, do you believe in second chances?" I question.

"What are you talking about, second chances?" He asked me with confusion.

"I mean, if a man commits a crime so terrible it hurts the people of the entire world, does he deserve a chance to redeem himself?" I ask him with conviction. I wasn't really sure why I decided to ask Guilford of all people this question. But for my own piece of mind I needed to hear the opinion of some one else.

The gods said that it was fitting that I save the world, sense I was the one who ordered them to not stop the flow of time. But from the moment I heard that, I wondered why. Did I really deserve this chance to see my friends and loved ones again? Did I deserve to be freed from hell? Or was I the only option because I gave the order. Or perhaps this was just another form of torture for me. Given the effect my healing powers had on me when I tried to heal Rolo, I wouldn't be surprised. Perhaps the gods thought I deserved to be tortured more than I already was. A more important question is; does it even matter. I am here and I am changing things, hopefully for the better. So why do I keep asking myself whether or not I deserve this.

I was pulled from my self contemplation by the sound of Guilford's voice. "If your asking whether or not you think the emperor would forgive your crimes against the holy empire. Maybe if you surrender now. Our emperor is a merciful man." He said and I could almost see the smile on his face as he said it. Well I suppose I should have expected that response.

"If you truly believe that man is merciful then you are a fool." I tell him as I swing my swords down to my sides and charge forward.

When I get in close to Guilford, I jump into the air and raise my swords over my head. As I come down on top of Guilford I bring my swords crashing down on him.

……………

"What is that idiot doing?" I shouted over my headset.

"Is he actually trying to defeat Guilford in a fair fight? That's insane. He was the knight of the second princess of the empire. That makes him a fighter second only to the knights of rounds. And even if he was just a regular soldier, Zero is no pilot. He's not an ace. There is no way he can win this fight." Urabe's voice shouts over my radio.

'Unfortunately Urabe, I have to agree.' I think to myself as I watch Lelouch trade blows with Guilford, and he wasn't doing very well. It was obvious within the first few minutes that Lelouch couldn't win. Guilford was merciless in his assault on Lelouch's knightmare frame. He wasn't even allowing Lelouch time to make his own attacks between the endless onslaught of thrusts, slashes, and charges. Watching the sloppy attempts at evasion and parries Lelouch tried with his swords it was clear he was hard pressed to keep evading. Sooner or later he would make a mistake and then he would be at Guilford's mercy.

'Get out of there you idiot. What are you trying to prove?' I thought as I watched them fight. 'You had better not get killed you idiot. If anything happened to you I—. 'I could feel my heart suddenly stop as I saw Guilford destroy Lelouch's legs out from under him with his lance.

……………

'This is harder than I thought it would be.' I thought as I continued to evade Guilford's attacks. I knew going in to this that there was little chance of me defeating a Britanian knight. And if by some miracle I did win, there was even less chance that the soldiers present would honor the agreement. As he uses his lance to sweep my feet out from under me I think, 'It's a good thing that I had never actually planned on defeating Guilford myself.'

"I have beaten you zero. Do you have any last words?" Guilford asks as he raises his lance over the head of his knightmare frame. No doubt he was preparing to send it plunging into the heart of my knightmare frame.

I look over at the captured black knights. A smile spreads across my face as I realize that I had stalled long enough. Its time to come clean. "Yes, lord Guilford. I would like to say that you are a complete idiot."

The silence that suddenly fell over the crowd, and the soldiers, was deafening. 'They all must think that I'm crazy. I'm trapped in a broken and beaten knightmare frame. I'm at the mercy of one of the most dangerous kind of men in the world, a man of false conviction. And I have the stupidity to insult him. Everyone watching must think that I'm out of my mind.'

I was snapped back to reality by the sound of Guilford voice. "How dare you? I have you at my mercy. And with your death comes the deaths of all of my prisoners. Witch will crush any chance this misguided country has at further pointless revolt. Now tell me zero, exactly how am I an idiot?" He questions me with his anger barely restrained.

"Because Lord Guilford," I begin to explain. "You only have 1 out of 3 correct. I am at your mercy. But as long as there are those still willing to fight for justice then no unjust society will ever maintain dominance." I almost can't restrain the laughter that threatens to escape at my next words. "Also, you don't have any prisoners to execute."

At my words Guilford slowly turns the head of his knightmare frame to where his prisoners are supposed to be. I can hear his gasp over the radio when he sees that his prisoners are no longer there. The large containers that held the black knights had vanished from between the knightmares of the soldiers that were supposed to be guarding them.

"Where are my prisoners? Find them." He shouts at the soldiers who were supposed to be guarding them.

After I pop the hatch on my knightmare I begin to climb out. Realizing that, in his frantic search for his vanished prisoners, Guilford had forgotten I was here. It was time I reminded him who he was dealing with.

"Lord Guilford." I shouted to get his attention.

Guilford swings his knightmare around to face me. "Zero, what have you done with my prisoners?" He shouts as he brings his lance to bear mere inches from my face, pointing right in the middle of my mask. "Where are they?" He growled out.

"If you wish to know the location of the black knights," I calmly shout as I raise my arm and gesture behind and to the left of Guilford. "Then look toward the Chinese embassy."

It was rather funny watching all of the Britanian soldiers turn to look at the Chinese at the same time. And I almost couldn't stop from laughing when I pictured the look on all of there faces. One minute they're guarding enemy prisoners who are at their mercy. The next moment those prisoners are one hundred yards away and being freed from their restraints by the Chinese. And as far as the Britanian soldiers could tell, nobody had gotten anywhere near the black knights. I could almost hear the thuds from their jaws hitting the floors of their cockpits.

"DAMN YOU ZERO." Guilford shouts as he spins around and once again raises his lance to kill me. "I'm through being humiliated by you."

Guilford swings his lance down, preparing to crush me under it. I can't imagine his shock when the point goes flying into the air. As I look away from watching the spear plant itself some yards behind me. I see the Vincent standing between me and Guilford, its twin swords crossed in front of it and Guilford holding what was left of his spear.

"Pilot what are you doing? Wait, don't tell me. Are you one of Zero's men?" Guilford asked.

"Yes Guilford, the Vincent is under the control of one of my most trusted black knights." I answer for him.

"I'll have to destroy you both." He says as he reaches for a compartment on the waist of his knightmare frame. From it he pulls a chaos mine. Apparently Guilford had no intention of letting me walk off of this battle field. Fortunately, Rolo severed the arm holding the mine before he could activate it.

After the Vincent removed not only the arm of Guilford's knightmare but the head as well, it vanished. Suddenly, the heads of all the Britanian knightmare frames started flying off, one right after another. Very soon all of the enemy soldiers were headless and incapacitated. Seeing that the black knights were free and Guilford and his forces have been defeated, my chores were finished for today. With that in mind I slowly begin my walk from the center of the battle field to the Chinese embassy. Bracing myself for my most difficult task yet, confessing my sins to the black knights.

……………

"Don't do it." Rolo once again tells me as we walk to the courtyard where the black knights should have finished changing into their uniforms. "There is a fine line between crazy genius and crazy stupid and if you go through with this you will cross that line."

Ever sense I set foot in the embassy he has been telling me not to tell the black knights anything about whom or what I am. I can certainly understand his reasons for saying so. Once they learn that I'm a former prince of the empire of Britannia the best I can hope for is to be imprisoned. Locked away where they can continue to use me how they see fit. At worse, they would more than likely kill me on the spot. If I tell them what I am, an angel raised from hell to save the world…well the most likely scenario is that they'll have me committed.

'Can't really say that I would blame them.' I think to myself.

Knowing that I planned to tell them, at least some of the truth, Rolo wanted to make his views quite clear.

"You tell them and they will kill you." This is something I enjoyed about Rolo's company. Unlike C.C., he left me no doubts about his opinion. Of course, after listening to protests like this for over an hour, he was getting on my nerves.

As we approached the front door Rolo made a last ditch effort to convince me. "Listen, big brother I know you want them to trust you. But this is—"

"ROLO, WILL YOU SHUT UP?" I shout, unable to stand this any longer. Rolo stopped in his tracks, and gave me this wide eyed look of shock.

Immediately feeling shame for my outburst, I turn to Rolo and attempt to apologize. "I'm sorry. I know that you are only trying to keep me safe. But I kept my secrets from them in my previous life, and we both know how that turned out. Now obviously there are some things that they are not ready to hear."

"Like the fact that you gave your life to save theirs. And now the gods have asked you to do so again." Rolo said with a sarcastic tone to his voice.

With a flat look on my face, behind my mask, I reply in a deadpan tone,"Yes like that. Look I can't keep secrets from them this time. I need them to trust me. Now, know matter what their reaction, you know what to do."

"I don't understand. How can you tell them the truth and just hope that they won't kill you on the spot? Hope that they won't turn you over to the emperor? And hope that they will still allow you to do what you must to save this world, and more importantly, save Nunnally?" Rolo asked with urgency.

"Because Rolo, hope is exactly what this world needs" I tell him as I turn back to the front door. As I march toward what will likely be my most dangerous reunion yet, I leave Rolo standing in the same spot as before. He had this stunned and confused expression on his face. As if he was trying to comprehend what I had just told him. I hope he can eventually comprehend what I mean by showing faith in people. If Rolo can learn what it means to trust somebody other than me, maybe there is hope for this world yet.

……………

'We've got them back. We've got them back.' I just kept repeating that over and over again in my mind. I can still barely believe it. He actually managed to get them all back.

But as happy as I am to have everyone back, I can't help wondering what happens now. Now that everyone is back they will all demand answers from Zero. I'm sure that while they were in prison the big question that they kept asking themselves is why he abandoned us. They won't wait long for their answers. I look over at Ohgi as he puts on his new coat. He was one of the leaders of the black knights. He, like Tohdoh and the four holy swords were executive officers and answered only to Zero. And out of all of the executives of the black knights he was the most passive. 'But I don't think even he could forgive Lelouch for all that he has done _to_ us, no matter what he has done _for_ us.'

Worry suddenly settles on me as I watch Lelouch, dressed as zero; walk out the front door towards us. 'What are you going to do now Lelouch?' I question as I glance over at Tohdoh. As our second in command under Zero himself, and head of the military actions of the black knights, he would likely be the first to ask questions. I feel the bottom fall out of my stomach as I see him. He is in a circle with his holy swords and they are all listening to something that Urabe is saying. As Urabe talks all of them get a shocked look on there faces. All of them except for Tohdoh who would not allow his stoic face to slip for even an instant. No doubt they had just learned from Urabe that their commander was really a Britanian teenager.

"Welcome back, all of you. It is good to see you all again." Zero shouts from the top of the stairs into the embassy.

Seeing that he was in front of them, the black knights immediately started shouting for answers.

"Why did you abandon us?"

"How could you let us rot in a Britanian prison for a year?"

"How dare you show your face you traitor."

"Zero, I think that we would all like some answers." Ohgi shouts over the roar of the mob. They all quite down at the sound of his voice. They probably thought that one of their leaders could get the answers that they seek.

"Zero," shouts Tohdoh as he walks forward to stand in front of the crowd. "Why did you leave us when you did? Was there a crucial reason?"

'Well Zero, he asked the question. Now how are you going to answer it?' I think to myself as I look at him.

……………

'Well, can't turn back now.' I think to myself as I stand before the black knights.

I remember Tohdoh asking me that same question before. I had lied and said that I did it to help the cause. This time, I would answer him honestly.

"Tohdoh, please come here for a moment." I ask him. He moves through the crowd until he is standing right in front of me. "You are a military man. So you understand the need to keep secrets, correct?" I whisper to him.

"Are you saying that you leaving the battle was part of your plan to defeat Britannia?" He asked me, the expression on his face never changing.

"I'm not saying anything. I am simply asking if understand the need for discretion." I respond.

Tohdoh only reacted by narrowing his eyes. But after a moment of thought he did finally nod his head.

"Good, then have Ohgi, Kento, Yoshitaka, and any of the other directors of the black knights you think should know meet me in the conference room."

"The others that should know WHAT exactly?" He asks me with suspicion.

My response was short and simple. But it still left Tohdoh speechless as I walk back inside, "Everything."

……………

I knew I was about to give the black knights the shock of their lives. What I didn't know was that this very night I was going to experience the same thing. Because at this very moment, three figures in black cloaks were waiting outside of the Chinese Embassy.

"How much longer do we have to wait out here? This is so boring." The man on the right said with some heat.

"Fool, we are waiting for the sun to set." The woman on the left said as she turned to look at the slowly waning light. "Once it does, we will be at our most powerful. And then we will have our revenge." She growled.

"Yes, you will have your revenge." The person in the middle finally spoke. The other two turned to him as he spoke. With a sadistic smile, unseen under his hood, he says, "You will have your revenge. And then I will get to drag him back to hell where he belongs." With that he began to laugh.

I didn't know it, but I was about to face my most challenging opponents yet.

……………

Well that's it. Sorry about the long wait, and the short chapter. But now that my summer classes are over the next chapter should be sooner. One thing I forgot to mention about the poll. The one thing that is not open for negotiation is you can only make one choice. So it's either one girl, or all of them. The choice is yours and you have until I post my next chapter to decide. So if anybody has any comments good or bad let me know. Your opinions positive or negative are what motivate me to continue. Send me reviews, until next time.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own code geass or anything that is related to it.

Sorry for not updating sooner. I should have posted a temporary hiatus notices. I'm also sorry to say that things in my life still aren't routine enough to promise the next chapter soon. But have no fear for I will never abandon my story. And I'm sorry so few people actually liked the last chapter. Hard as I tried I couldn't make it anything more than a filler chapter. And from the lack of responses compared to my first two chapters, you all could tell. I hope this chapter is up to my better standards.

_Memory_

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"**Demon speak"**

**Chapter 4: The Soldiers of the Underworld**

"I told you so," said Rolo with an air of annoyance.

"Yes, you did," was my bored response.

"I told you 'there is a fine line between crazy genius and crazy stupid.' Did I not say that?" Rolo ranted from where he was pacing near the door to my chambers.

"Rolo do try to relax. Ever sense Tohdoh and the other officers had us locked in here you haven't stopped pacing," was my calm response.

Stopping in his tracks, Rolo turned to look at me as I continued to lounge on one of the couches around the center table idly reading a book. For a brief moment I thought he was going to take my advice and sit down.

"You know, you could at least admit that you're worried. Or that this hasn't gone according to your predictions. Or you could let me in on your escape plan," Rolo pleaded. "Come on big brother, you're the one that stopped me making our escape the least you could do is tell me why… … … Would it kill you to throw me a bone?"

"You know, you don't usually get this worked up," I comment, as I try to understand why. "You're really worried about this aren't you?" I ask as I turn to look at him.

Rolo's response was to glare at me from across the room before he went back to pacing.

I can't really say that I blame Rolo for his reaction. 'He's right, this was not what I intended.' I contemplate as I recall how we became locked in this room.

…Flashback…

_"Alright Zero, what's this all about?" asks Tohdoh the moment the doors to the conference room close. I make my way to the front of the room, moving between the long tables to the left and the right, and I stand before my officers. As everybody slowly takes a seat, my tension begins to rise. I'm about to tell a room full of people who celebrate being called terrorists, that I was the son of there most hated enemy._

_As I look out at all of the murderous faces staring back at me I realize, ' I must have a death wish.' Resigned to my fate, I let out a heavy sigh. Slowly, I bring both of my hands up and take hold of my mask. And to the shock of all those in the room, I reveal myself._

_"That's much better." I proclaim, to the utter silence that the room had fallen into. I run my left hand through my hair and place my mask on the table in front of me. I try to forestall my inevitable crucifixion for as long as possible. "Alright, I'm not really sure where to begin. So I'll just let you ask whatever questions you want and I'll answer them honestly." I tell them._

_It took a moment before anybody spoke. Soon they all began whispering at once to the people sitting next to them. 'They're probably discussing what to ask me first.'_

_"Who are you really?" Tohdoh asked seemingly not interested in anyone else's opinion. Once again, I am faced with a very difficult choice. The same choice I had to face when Kallen was pointing a gun at me. 'Whether this situation was more or less dangerous is a question Rolo and I will probably enjoy discussing later.' But for now, I have other matters to attend too._

_"That's a loaded question. My current name is Lelouch Lamperouge. I'm a student at Ashford Academy." At the word "current," Tohdoh went from simply staring at me, to almost burning a hole through my head with his eyes. Glancing at Rolo, who is located next to the door on the opposite side of the room, I try to get his opinion. If the near panicked look on his face wasn't enough of a message, slowly shaking his head was. It was clear he didn't want me to do this. 'He's right; it might be a stupid thing to do. Buts it is still the right thing to do.' Turning back to Tohdoh, I save him the trouble of having to ask me again. "But I was once called Lelouch vi Britannia, the eleventh prince of the empire, and son of Marrianne the flash… and the emperor himself." I growled out between my teeth. My parentage is a rather sore topic with me._

_As if a bomb had suddenly exploded, the room became alive with voices of panic and anger. Some were calling for my life. Others were talking about holding me hostage. Some wanted to ransom me for their freedom. They seem to think I was actually worth something to the emperor. 'It must be some cruel irony, that a tyrant's own children understand what a monster he is better than his victims. Obviously, I'll have to help them understand.'_

"_Don't bother with a ransom or hostage situation. The emperor has absolutely NO interest in the safety of his …relations." I told them with some venom in my voice._

"_Why shouldn't we ransom you?" asked Ohgi. "Your return could buy us our country back. After all, he is your fath-."_

"_THAT THING IS NOT MY FATHER." I roared at the entire room. My sudden declaration had stunned them all into silence. They all looked at me in utter shock. Some were even frightened enough by my outburst to fall out of their chairs. Even the normally stoic Tohdoh was staring at me with wide eyes._

_Taking a deep breath, I unclench my fists and try to calm my sudden rage. I may be forced to admit that I'm the emperor's son, but I don't think I could stand to call that man my father, or even a father. Those that had gotten over my sudden outburst were staring at me confused. Obviously, I would need to explain my anger._

"_You may not believe me when I tell you this. You all probably think that I am some spy or another Britannian vying for power among his siblings. But let me make one thing clear. I have nothing but contempt and resentment for the royal family." I declare with as much passion as I can, hoping that they would see the truth in my words._

"_How can you expect us to believe that?" was Ohgi's angry query. "The royal family lives in luxury for their entire lives. And you stand there acting like your life is as horrid as ours have become. Do you think that we are fools?"_

'_It seems that I have no choice but to tell them now.' I think to myself. I had hoped to forestall admitting this part of my past for as long as possible._

"_I am not, and have not been a member of the royal family for many years." I begin._

"_I was born on December 5 as Lelouch vi Britannia. My parents were the Emperor of Britannia, Charles zi Britannia, and the late Imperial Consort Marianne. This made me the Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire. I was seventeenth in line to the Imperial throne prior to my mother's assassination, an event which left my beloved sister blind and crippled for the rest of her life." I declare, almost choking on my words at the end._

_Some of the black knights began to whisper to each other. They must have been trying to figure out which sister I was talking about. As far as they knew, there was no crippled Britannian princess. But, looking across the room to where Kallen was standing next to Rolo, I could see on her face the dawning recognition. She knew that I was talking about Nunnally, but she obviously hadn't realized that to be my sister, she had to be royalty as well. 'This is painful to talk about, but I must tell them. They have a right to know everything.'_

"_When I was ten years old I confronted the Emperor after my mother's assassination and accused him of leaving my mother defenseless. I even went so far as to renounce my entitlement to the throne." I could see the shock plainly on all of their faces. Looking at Kallen I can see that she is just as shocked as everybody else to hear this. 'Clearly she thought that she knew everything about me. I should try to enjoy proving her wrong.' "In response, my father banished my sister and me to Japan, where we were used as political hostages in the Sakuradite conflict."_

"_It was during our stay at the Kururugi Household that I first met Suzaku Kururugi, with whom I did not initially treat well. But we later became friends." Surveying the room, I could see that it was Tohdoh's turn to look shocked. "However, when Britannia finally developed its Knightmare Frames and decided to invade Japan to seize control of the Sakuradite mines, my sister and I became discarded as diplomatic tools. Fearing for our safety, I hid our true identities and sought the help of the Ashford family, who were my mother's allies."_

"_My mother's death and my father's apparent lack of concern in regards to it were huge blows to my world views. Since then, I have felt that the situation was unfair for both my mother and sister. And for that reason, I made it my goal to pursue a better world for Nunnally. This is why I founded the black knights, so that I could create a better world where she would never suffer again." I announce with as much conviction as I could. 'I also wanted to discover the true reason for my mother's death. But that is a moot point now.' I think sourly._

_Nobody spoke for a few moments after I finished. The silence was not broken until, "What the hell are you talking about?" Tamaki suddenly shouted. "We know all of the members of the Britannian royal family, and there is no crippled and blind princess named Nunnally." Tamaki finished with a self-satisfied look on his face. _

'_He probably thinks that he just caught me in some lie.' I think with annoyance. _

_Looking around, I see that some of the people in the room are again whispering, and nodding their heads at Tamaki's words. I was about to try and convince them of my honesty. But before I could even open my mouth, I was interrupted by the last person I expected to come to my defense. _

"_He's telling the truth." Kallen quietly declared. _

_As everyone turned to fix their gaze upon her, Kallen quickly became very nervous. Clearly she hadn't intended to speak when the tension in the room was quite so high, if she had intended to speak at all. And though she did little more than whisper that one sentence, it got the attention of every person in the room. Realizing that the officers of the black knights were expecting her to elaborate, Kallen appeared to gather her courage and began her explanation._

"_I've met Lelouch's little sister Nunnally. She was living at the Ashford Academy with him while I was posing as a student there. I didn't know she was a princess of course and it didn't occur to me until now. But she is Lelouch's sister, she is blind, and she is in a wheelchair. So I can assure you that she does exist." Kallen concluded with a strained voice. It was rather comical to watch her give her little speech, standing stiff as a statue the whole time._

_I honestly didn't anticipate anybody, even Kallen, would come to my defense. 'And from the look on her face, she most likely won't be doing that again.' I think with no small amount of humor. 'I had probably better express my gratitude.'_

"_Thank you Kallen. I appreciate your help." I tell her. As the focus of the room moved back to me, I look a visibly relaxing Kallen in the eye and see her nod in acknowledgement. But the tension in the room hastily returned with the next question._

"_Do you honestly expect us to believe that?" Tohdoh almost growled as he rose from his seat and began to move toward me. "All this time we thought you were an enemy of Britannia that was trying to help us. Instead, you're just another royal trying to gain power at the expense of others." _

_Tohdoh was standing in front of me now. His voice had slowly risen as he spoke to where he was almost shouting in my face._

"_Were you just using us you SPINELESS COWARD." He roared in my face as he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. _

"_You know that isn't true. I'm not your enemy." I quickly try to reason with him. "Lord Kirihara himself once told you I'm a true mortal enemy of Britannia. He knew my identity and he told you to trust me. Shouldn't that…"_

"_ENOUGH." He shouted. I could see that he was barely keeping a hold of his rage. His voice dropped to a whisper as he spoke to me, "If you were any other man… I would kill you where you stand."_

"_Tohdoh wait." I quickly try to interrupt him. But I didn't act quickly enough._

"_Take him to his chambers and keep him there until we decide what to do with him." Tohdoh ordered as he almost throws me into the restraining arms of two others._

'_I can't let them lock me up. There is far too much they need to know.' I think desperately. _

"_Wait there is more that you need to know. I have information that is crucial for your survival." I tried to tell them._

"_Enough, we won't hear anymore of your lies." Tohdoh says as he looks me in the eye. One look at the anger that showed on his face and I knew that he wasn't going to listen to anything that I would say._

"_LET GO OF HIM." Came the abrupt shout from behind me. _

_Suddenly I found myself no longer restrained, the two who had me were on the ground unconscious, and Rolo with a knife in his hand was standing between me and Tohdoh._

"_Can't you see that he's trying to help you?" Rolo roared at Tohdoh._

"_Don't be a fool boy. He's just using you as well." Was Tohdoh's quick response._

_But Rolo didn't move one inch from where he stood defending me. Realizing that he wasn't going to move, Tohdoh did the only thing that he could._

"_We can't take any chances. Lock them both up." He ordered._

_Realizing the reaction this would get from Rolo, A massacre of the Black Knights, I grab his shoulder and turn him to face me. _

"_Rolo don't." I whisper to him. "We aren't going to win their favor now. We'll have to wait for the right moment." The disbelief at my declaration was clear on his face. "They will still need our help. So we will wait and when they come looking for answers we will make them listen." I explained._

_He didn't say anything in response. He just looked around us at all of the gathered Black Knights who had risen from their seats. He gave me one last worried look, and handed them the knife that he was holding. _

…End Flashback…

'That was hours ago.' I ponder with some resentment. 'It doesn't matter now. Nothing to do now but sit, read, and wait for them to come to me. I had better decide what I'm going to say to them when they do come.'

But any plans about what I was going to say to the officers when they came to ask question were driven from my mind by the sound of klaxon alarms going off throughout the embassy.

…Embassy Main Gate Moments Earlier…

'Just another boring night with nothing for us to do. Why does third watch always seem to take forever?' The young man contemplated with no small amount of boredom. He and his partner stood guard at the front gate of the Chinese embassy.

'Even with Zero here, the Britannians would never attack the embassy.' The young man reasoned as he leaned back against the giant wall surrounding the Chinese Embassy.

He was just about to lose his battle with boredom induced sleep, when his drooping eyes caught sight of somebody walking toward him. The figure, only a few yards off, was shrouded in darkness. A long hooded cloak obscured all of this mystery man's features, as he moved with purposeful strides toward the guards.

"Stop right there, whoever you are." I shouted as my partner and I, suddenly feeling much more awake, stood at attention and raised our firearms. But the shadowed man (I thinks it a man, hard to tell with that cloak on) continued to move toward us.

"You're trespassing on Chinese Federation territory. Stop where you are or we'll open fire. This is your only warning." I shouted the urgency in my voice clear. 'I may hate being bored, but I don't want to liven up my night by shooting somebody.'

But to my dismay, the figure continued moving toward us without the slightest indication that he had heard my declarations. With a quick glance and nod to my partner, we bring our weapons to bear, and open fire on the cloaked man.

Our guns recoiled, fire plumed from the barrels, and bullets went rocketing through the air at the cloaked man. The man stumbled and twisted where he stood before dropping to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

I stare at the fallen man for a moment. Taking stock of what my partner and I have just done. 'We just killed him. We didn't even know who he was. We didn't even know if he was Britannian or Japanese, but we killed him. What a waste.' I think to myself.

I was pulled from my thoughts as the communicator in my ear crackles to life. "Main gate, we're getting reports of gun fire. What's going on?"

"Somebody tried to approach the front gate. We warned them not to, but he didn't liste-…" My voice tapered off at the end. I was too shocked by what I was seeing. The man on the ground, the one my partner and I had just riddled with bullets was getting up.

I was too stunned to do anything but stand where I was and gape as the cloaked man not only stood up, but began to laugh at us.

"Oh, is that the best you can do?" The cloaked man asked in a strange voice, almost like there were two people talking at the same time in perfect sync. We didn't have time to ponder this before the man seemed to fly at us and wrap his hands around both my partners and my throats. I could hear a voice coming from my earpiece, shouting at me to report what was happening. But I was unable to respond as this strange man lifted me and my partner off the ground like we were nothing.

With my hands wrapped around his wrists trying to break his grip, I look down at his hooded face. "I do hope that Lelouch puts up a better fight than you two." He says. And as I look at his shadowed face, he opens his mouth wide and begins to take a deep shuddering breath. I was perplexed as to what he was doing, until I looked into his wide-open mouth and saw something truly bizarre. Rising out of his throat is a deep purple light, almost like he had swallowed a black light. My confusion turns to horror, as the last thing my partner and I see in this world is a torrent of black flames rising from the man's throat, before he breathes them at us.

…Embassy Rear Entrance Same Time…

'Panic that's what I'm feeling. I'm about to be consumed by absolute panic, and something tremendously worse.' I think as I reflect on how we had gotten into this situation.

It had been turning into another boring third watch (or the "graveyard" watch as some preferred to call it). Boring until the distant sounds of gunfire from the other side of the embassy reached our ears.

Turning to face the massive door we had just been guarding, my partner and I were riddled with suspicion about what was going on. Pointlessly starring at the door in the futile effort to see through it and find out what was happening; my partner and I tried to communicate with the Operations Room to find out what the situation was. But we received no response.

That means that whoever is on duty in there is either ignoring us (unlikely), or they were too preoccupied with something else to bother to answer us. A far more likely scenario, one that unfortunately meant something bad was happening. Of course we became distracted from our speculations over what was happening at the front gate by our own desperate circumstance.

We were so distracted with trying to find out what was going on that we never noticed the cloaked figure stroll up behind us. We weren't even aware of his presence until it was too late.

"Something troubling you boys?" An amused voice spoke from right behind us.

We look over our shoulders to see this figure that had gotten within arm's reach of us without us even knowing it. But as we turned to face him, he raised his arms and blackness filled our vision.

I couldn't see. I could still feel the gun in my hand and hear the sound of my partner's gun hitting the ground next to me so I couldn't be dead. But I couldn't see. 'Did this guy blind me somehow?' I ask myself.

But my musing about how this could be possible was interrupted by a strangled gasp from my fellow sentry somewhere to my left. Suddenly a pain erupted from my throat. I brought my hands up to cradle it only to feel a warm liquid coating my skin, coming from a slice that hadn't been there a second ago. My throat had been slit. I keep trying to breathe but all I can take in is my own blood.

I fall to my knees; my strength is leaving me quickly. I hear the sound of my partner collapsing on the ground next to me… and then I don't hear anything from him. 'I'm going to die.' Was my final thought as I hear the sound of footsteps slowly moving away.

…Embassy Corridor…

"Your orders are to aid the guards at the front gate. Get there now."

"Yes sir, right away sir." Came my quick response to the voice coming from my earpiece. "I just wanted a quite night to relax and watch a movie. Is that so much to ask?" I say to myself as I run down the hall toward the front gate. I was one of the black knights that were freed by zero earlier today. And after rotting in a prison cell for a year I was enjoying my first hot shower and home cooked meal in all of that time. I was just about to sit down in my room and watch a movie when all hell broke loose. 'All I wanted was one night to relax. So close and yet so...'

Pulled from my thoughts, I stop in the middle of the corridor. Something strange was happening to the wall in front of me. It was making a strange crackling and bubbling sound, and it was shifting. It slowly began to pour down onto the floor, almost like it was melting. It appeared as though that was exactly what was happening sense the melted wall material was now pooling on the floor.

"What the HELL is going on here?" I ask aloud as a large hole opened in the wall in front of me.

"I think you just answered your own question." A female voice responded.

From the hole in the wall stepped a figure shrouded in a black cloak. A woman if the slim build and voice are any indication. 'She must be one of the intruders that set off the alarms.' I reason. She doesn't look particularly threatening, but given the alarms and the fact the she somehow just melted a wall I couldn't take any chances.

"Don't move a muscle lady." I shout as I bring my gun up to point at her.

"I thought gun waving guys like you were supposed to say 'freeze'." Was her sarcastic response.

"Yeah well I say move and your dead." I told her, thinking she would back down and come quietly. Instead she just laughed at me.

"And I say I'm dead, and I move." She proclaimed as she started walking toward me.

I was about to shout a final warning to her before I opened fire. But I never even got the chance to defend myself. Moving too fast for me to react, she ran right at me and placed her hands on my rifle. To my horror, my gun started melting before my eyes.

Looking at the woman's smiling face she tells me, "But you won't." and she brings her right hand up and lays it on my face.

…Lelouch…

I had risen from my seat the moment the alarms sounded. 'What's going on? There was no attack in the previous timeline. So why is this happening now?' I ask myself. 'Alright, logically as the only thing that diverges from the original course of events any changes that occur are caused, directly or indirectly, by me.' I reason with myself as I stand and turn to face Rolo.

'So what could my changes have caused? I've tried to stay as close to the time line as possible so far, so what could this be-?' I'm ripped from my thoughts as the door to the room was unexpectedly blown off its hinges. This was a huge dilemma for Rolo, who was still pacing by the door, became pinned beneath the door that collided with him, knocking him unconscious.

My first thought was to rush to his side and help him. But that thought was derailed by the appearance of three cloaked individuals walking into the room.

"Oh, did I knock to loudly? So sorry." Came the mocking declaration of the one in front. "Lelouch, how good to see you again. I was beginning to think I'd lost you."

"Do I know you?" Was the only reply I could give to that statement. I didn't know what else to say given how distracted I was by the strange double voice of this man in front of me.

"Oh you don't remember me?" The man lowered his hood and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. "You know that's just rude."

"That's not possible." Was my dazed response. "You can't be you." I couldn't believe what I was seeing. That silver hair and thin pointed face belonged to only one man. "M-Mao?"

He just laughed at me. "Not exactly." In the blink of an eye I found myself hoisted off the ground and slammed into the wall behind me and Mao's (or at least this person who looks like Mao) right hand wrapped around my throat.

'He moved so fast. All I saw was a blur.'

"You know that really hurts my feelings. After all **you and I became so close, in hell**." As the Mao look-a-like spoke, his double voice changed. Like one voice had ceased speaking and all that was left was this deep haunting baritone voice. It's a voice that I know well. It's a voice that fills me with dread. The mere sound of frightened me so that I could feel the blood drain from my face and my heart stop.

I know who this man is now. He's haunted my nightmares ever since my resurrection. This was the demon who had tortured me and countless others in hell.

"Cordesh." I manage to whisper. To which he only laughs in my face.

"Oh not just me." He tells me his voice returning to that bizarre double voice. "I've got some old friends here to see you."

That's when the two other hooded figures walked up to stand next to Cordesh and lowered their own hoods. Up to that point, I didn't think anything could frighten me more than seeing Cordesh again.

I was wrong.

"Oh god, please no." The words had left me before I even realized I was speaking.

"Sorry dear brother. God isn't going to save you this time." Were the words of Euphemia Li Britannia.

"So true." Dread filling me, I turn to the figure on my left that had just spoken; terrified of what face I was going to see.

I'm horrified to see my brother Clovis standing there with a knife in his hand. "It's a regular family reunion, isn't it dear brother?" Says Clovis before he thrusts his knife into me.

…

Well that's it. Sorry about the long wait. I've gotten what I need from the poll, but I'll leave it up for a day after I post this chapter. So if anybody who hasn't voted has a last minute suggestion, I might consider it.

Finally, if anybody has any comments good or bad let me know. Your opinions positive or negative are what motivate me to continue. Send me reviews, until next time: Where there is doubt there is freedom.

Next Chapter: _**The messenger of heaven**_


End file.
